When trying to reach your fitness goals people often might think they have to push their body to the limits to see results but that is not the case. A lot of people go to the gym everyday but they don’t realize that mixing a couple off days in during your week is beneficial in building both strength and muscle. When we workout we are doing a lot of damage to our muscles. In order for our muscles to grow, and for our strength to increase we must give our muscles time to heal after a workout. Some people don’t believe in days off, but myself personally I do.

I used to have a strict workout routine, Monday through Saturday with Sunday being my off day. After following this for a while I started to work in another off day during the week. I noticed when I started to take that extra day off my muscles really got the recovery they needed. I would feel less sore after taking the day off and when I got back in the gym the day after I could tell my body was ready and wasn’t lingering from the day before. I started to see my strength slowly increase as well as recovery.

Not enough rest after a workout can lead to over-training syndrome. When you perform excessive amounts of exercise without the right amount of rest you can experience some side effects including decreased performance, fatigue, and or poor sleeping habits. It is crucial to have a well balanced diet, workout routine, and incorporate enough rest days to make sure your body is recovered and ready for the next workout ahead.